


On Hutta

by arashi_ga_mooi_o_furuu



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Alien Character(s), Anakin pops up at the end, F/M, Hutta, I Tried, Idiots in Love, Leia's Pov, M/M, Mentions of violence by children, Multi, Slavery, THERE IS PLOT, This is my stone to Skysolo history, a stone I'd like to throw in george lucas face, and Things happen, how do people put so much tag in their work i don't know i have no idea what to tag, humanity being an ass, huntting of sentient beings, it's fine by my standards but maybe not yours, nothing graphic, of all kinds - Freeform, only a decomposing body
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-25
Updated: 2016-05-25
Packaged: 2018-06-10 18:04:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6968158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arashi_ga_mooi_o_furuu/pseuds/arashi_ga_mooi_o_furuu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Luke goes missing on Hutta. Leia, Han and Chewbacca go looking for him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On Hutta

**Author's Note:**

> English is not my first language, now you know. And if George Lucas makes movie of his fanfic of Star Wars then I can write my own. No I'm not really into this new trilogy of his. I don't feel like I wrote something good but I do hope it's okay.  
> Also the SW univers has many type of aliens but we rarely seen them as important characters so it's also an aliens visibility fic.  
> And take Star Wars: The Old Republic away from me it's giving me too many ideas.  
> Also do you read the notes of the author? I know I rarely do.

_Butterfly Effect is the theory that small changes can have large effects._

_The smallest decision can change the future_.

 

* * *

 

 

Hutta was a dreadful world. Leia thought Jabba's den was stinking but it was nothing compared to the stench of the Hutt's foster homeworld. Her stomach was doing some heavy somersault and her eyes were brimming with tears due to acid air. She heard a worried growl behind her.

“It's okay Chewie, I'm fine, this place just needs some time getting used to.”

The wookie let out an affirmative growl and patted her shoulder. His facial expression were hard to read for her but he clearly didn't think any better of the place. It was a mess especially after the fall of the Empire, the place was forgotten, just another outer-rim world. That was something Leia hated about politics, how people could be set aside because they were considered of lesser importance. Even now if they weren't there for other reasons, nobody would care about this place.

“Leia Organa?” a small voice asked her in huttese.

It was a small rodian with pale green scales and an ugly scar in the middle of her face.

“You-you should come... there is a p-problem with a member of your team...” her head was bowed and Leia noticed the tell-tale marks of a recently removed shock-collar.

She and Chewbacca exchanged a look. They should never have left him out of their sight. Especially in those circumstances.

“Of course, if you could just tell me where he is...?”

The rodiant nodded and led them through the streets of Jiguuna to the speeder pad. Trash was littered everywhere, broken droids parts and muddy puddles of water no matter where you stepped. At least Leia decided it was mud.

She heard his voice before she saw him. It was not going to be pleasant. The word didn't seem to exist on this planet anyway.

“I don't care about your bog people or you Hutt gang wars, just let me and my group into the swamps-”

“Well I don't care if ya got a death wish but I'm not indulgin' ya! We don't know where they were when we lost communication, ya could search the evocii work-camp to the gaz mines and not find a single sign of them!”

“But there must have been somewhere they were planing to go! Something we could follow!”

“For the last time human, I don't know nothin' of your guy's plan -”

“Please, just calm down, both of you!”

They turned toward her, Han, frustrated, ready to snap at anyone and the victim of his outburst, a chagrian with a missing eye. The sight of the wookie seemed to quell his temper but he wasn't ready to back down.

“So Kaky found ya” he said, patting the rodian girl on the shoulder “Maybe ya can get it through your friend's skull but I'm not letting any of ya wander off into the wild! It's dangerous enough when ya know the place...”

Leia put her hand on Han's arm, trying to push him back but the stubborn nerf-herder wasn't moving an inch and ignoring her clear attempt to get him out of the conversation.

“What's the matter?”

The chagrian shook his head.

“Look, your Skywalker guy gathered a team of locals -I even know some of 'em- and they went into the swamp. All I know is that they were lookin' for somethin'. I asked Taleen but all she said was that she trusted your man and I shouldn’t worry!” He snorted, “Right, no worry. It's been two weeks since I've heard anything!”

“Two weeks?!” Han exclaimed “And we only know now-”

“You're lucky we even knew there was someone to call and it's only because he left a note with Kaky!” The little rodian was fidgeting, throwing worried glances toward the swamps.

Leia knew she couldn't afford to lose her calm and kept her voice levelled as she asked her next question “Is there no way to locate them?”

The chagrian shook his head “None. As far as I know”

Han started grumbling something about how little the man actually knew but the princess swiftly kicked him in the shin. She had another list of questions, all aimed to discover what Luke had done during his stay here but none had a chance to pass her lips before Kaky screamed.

They all turned as the young girl jumped from the landing pad and ran toward the swamps. There, among rotten plants and putrid water two people were making there way slowly toward them. The chagrian let out a flow of huttese curses that had no translation in common but were extremely vulgar as he threw away the scrap of metal he'd been working on and ran toward the newcomers. It was a limping advosze being held up by an abyssin and they both seemed relieved to see Kaky running toward them. She started speaking so quickly that Leia couldn't catch a single word she said but the abyssin only shook his head as an answer. This didn't bode well in Leia's opinion.

“Taleen, what happened?” The chagrian exclaimed as he grabbed a hold of the advozse other arm “Never mind, not important! We need to get you patched up!”

“Forget it Natah!” The advosze answered waving him away weakly. Her voice was high and sounded more female than male “I'm probably not going to make it anyway...”

Natah shook his head and addressed the abyssin instead “Derk, go put her in our cantina quarters, try to avoid drawing Gims'zo's thugs' attention, place isn't safer since you left,” he turned to Kaky, “Ya go get some medpacks from that shady guy who lives down the avenue! I've seen him sell some on the black market!”

“Do I steal them or trade for them?” He shrugged “Whichever is quicker!” she nodded and was gone in an instant. Natah's attention was finally back to them “Well, humans, and wookie” he nodded toward Chewbaca “I have a good and a bad news. The good is we're gonna have some answers as to where your Skywalker has gone. Bad news is those two you've just seen were part of his team. Now follow me if you want some answers”

Leia felt her worry grow. Luke wasn't dead she knew this. She would have felt it. But they were on Hutta and quite a number of other thing could have happened, none of them pleasant. She looked at Han. He was pale and his body had gone rigid. Without any warning he moved, following Natah with determination etched on every part of his face. She knew that walk and that look. He had the same on Hoth when he stormed alone into a blizzard. This time she just hoped that he wouldn't have to do this alone.

*

It was already dusk when everything seemed to settle and Natah came out of the room. Leia knew Han wanted to ask about Luke and she did as well but concern must come first for those present.

“Is everyone going to be alright?”

Natah looked at her, surprised by her question “Well yes. I mean it _was_ bad but nothin' that can't be healed” he let out a small laugh “Taleen made it sound terrible but advozses are always pessimistic 'bout everythin'”

He sat down and looked at Leia with his only eye “I didn't realise but... you're Leia Hutt Slayer aren't you?”

She blinked, processing the information “Hutt slayer?” there was a pause before Han smirked and Chewbacca let out a roaring laugh.

“Yeah, forgot to tell you about that” Han said as he leaned against a wall “I had some missions on the Outter-Rim and it seems that killing a Hutt in front of witnesses gave you quite a reputation!”

Natah nodded “Well, you're the reason Jigguna's a mess right now ya know,” he wore a faint smile now, “Booba the Hutt used to rule Jiguuna. When word of the slave girl endin' Jabba spread like stardust, the slime started a killin' spree in the beast pen to set an 'example'. The thing he didn't consider was the ten slave girls he kept in his personal harem. One night, when security was at it's lowest, they all attacked together”

Leia was impressed and actually a bit embarrassed that she had inspired such a wind of revolution among the slave population. It didn't bother her that another Hutt was gone, quite the contrary, but a bad feeling was nagging her...

“Seven died,” he continued confirming her feeling, “Shock-collar overload. But they did manage to kill that slug!” There was pride in his voice when he spoke, “Gims'zo the Hutt is the one controllin' the closest town and he's been tryin' get control back here. So far it's still chaotic. That's when your Skywalker arrived.”

Their attention sharpened as the subject changed and Leia could feel Han standing straight, tenser than an electric wire.

“Thought the boy would get caught by slaver in the next five minutes. But he just drove them away like it was nothin'! I don't know no interaction on Hutta that doesn't end in blood. Someone that good had to be suspicious so I didn't approach him much and he was going about his own business.” He posed looking thoughtful, “Then... I don't know really, he started makin' friend with the abyssin, guy used to be Booba's best killer so I was surprised he didn't eat him alive to be honest. He also managed to talk Kaky out of her shock-collar, poor girl had worn it since she was a kid, she was afraid to take it off. That's when I started thinkin' he wasn't so bad. Then it was Taleen and Anuli who both told me he was alright. Well Anuli didn't count, as she was trying to get into his pants so...”

Leia would have smiled at that, but waves of negativity caught her attention and she turned to see Han whose gaze was fixed on a non-existent point on the wall, his arms crossed on his chest. She frowned but she saw Chewbacca slightly shook his head, advising her to let it go.

“Anyway, they went to evocii work-camp, place is crazy since the uprisin', and then to Gims'zo's old palace, the one he inhabited before retreatin' into his bunker. That's where the trouble began because the Hutt's goons were still there, they got separated but it seems both your Skywalker and Anuli are still alive but captured”

“Captured?” Leia said “For what?”

“Slavery,” Han answered, he was still looking at the wall, his whole demeanour closed off, “I guess your Anuli girl is human as well. Slavers don't care much for aliens, most of them are labor-slaves 'cept for the pretty ones. But humans are usually made pleasure slave and sold high. Very high”

Natah nodded as if this was perfectly normal and Leia was reminded once that they were on one of the trash-planet of the galaxy. While she had been happy not knowing the finer points of slave trading, she didn't want to bury her head in the sand. If she wanted to do any good in this galaxy, she had to know where it was rotten.

“I ain't gonna lie,” Natah said, “I know they didn't tell me everythin', probably because they want to keep secrecy of what Skywalker was doin', I don't know, what I know however is how to get into a Hutt palace guarded by dim-witted brawlers and how to get there. I used to be guard captain for Booba. I won't go with ya but I can make sure you get there”

Han turned, looking at him sharply “Just like that eh? A moment ago you didn't want to let us out!”

Leia held back a sigh: this man knew nothing of diplomacy. Natah's single eye went steely but his tone was cool “Ya want the boy back, I want my friend back despite the fact that she's a little shit who cheats at sabacc! So I help ya, ya help me and everyone's happy right?”

Chewbacca growled, probably telling Han to shut it for once and the ex-smuggler did so grumpily.

“Good, then you'd better come with me 'cause if you're going through the swamps, you'll need equipment”

They left then but as they reached the door Leia stopped “Wait!” the three men turned, looking at her questioningly “If you don't mind, I would like to speak with Taleen and the other, to see if perhaps I could learn anything more” Natah hesitated, wondering her intentions but he eased eventually “Fine, just don't bother Taleen, she's resting, her wound isn't mortal but it's bad. Derk can tell ya anythin' ya want”

She nodded as Natah resumed his walked. Han looked back, reluctant to leave her but she patted the blaster on her hips and he smiled.

Once they were gone she went to the back door and knocked softly. Kaky opened, looking surprised but let her pass none the less. Now that she knew of her 'Hutt-Slayer' reputation she could see awe in the rodian's attitude toward her. Taleen was on one of three bed, sleeping. Her single horn had been damaged, there were dents in it as well as burn marks around the base. She almost didn't see the abyssin who was sited by the window, his single giant eye looking at the city below.

“Y-you want s-something?” Kaky asked, stuttering again. Her head was slightly bowed as if she expected a hit.

Leia had been a slave too once but not even for full day. Kaky had most likely been a slave for most of her life and Leia couldn't even begin to imagine what it was like. She tried to smile reassuringly.

“Yes I wanted to see if you could tell me anything more about Luke's presence here. I knew it was a mission of his own but he didn't want to say anything before he was sure...”

That did it. Kaky step back quickly and nearly ran toward the bed to sit next to Taleen “No no no no no!” she muttered “Don't know nothing!”

The abyssin, Derk finally turned toward her, his cat-like pupil fixing her intently. _Booba's best killer_. Natah's words came back to her as she shifted, uneasy under his gaze. She didn't believe Luke would ever associate with someone who truly was a monster and that helped keep her calm. Calm enough to notice something. There was a... feeling. A strange tingling sensation that wasn't there before. Her gaze was drown back to Kaky and Taleen. The rodian held the advosze's hand and was stroking it softly. Leia frowned, focusing more as she felt a strange energy move. It was an odd feeling, like becoming aware of the oxygen particles around yourself. As if Kaky was pouring power into Taleen, like...

Her eyes went wide “The Force.”

Kaky looked up, startled as Leia sat on the opposite side of the bed “You are Force-users,” she looked at the three occupants of the room “All of you!” Derk looked at her impassively as Kaky clearly started panicking. He extended a hand toward her and Leia fought her instinct to step back. One of his three finger simply touched her forehead before leaving.

“So are you.” He said simply as his confirming something to himself. His voice was rough and deep as if it wasn't used often.

So this was Luke's mission. This was what he was trying to accomplish by going on this wretched world. Finding Force-sensitive, others with this strange power and share what little knowledge he had. She knew now why he didn't say a word to her. She wasn't cooperative anytime he wanted to speak of the Force, it was something she had been rejecting ever since he told her she had this power and he had quietly accepted it. She felt shame thinking of this because she didn't want Luke thinking that she rejected him. She loved him but the Force... it was something she still had to come to term with.

Kaky tilted her head on the side, extremely surprised “You do that too?”

Leia looked at the rodian's hands trying to get her thoughts back in line “I, well no... I didn't even know the Force could heal!”

“Oh, neither did sir Skywalker! He was really surprised! So was I, it was kind of an accident the first time, really...”

Derk was studying her and she felt uncomfortable once more, “Untrained,” he said, “Power like a garden unattended” he turned his gaze toward the window once, “That is why Tak'zaz came here”

“Tak'zaz? You mean Luke?”

Kaky nodded, “Yes sir Skywalker is very nice!” She rubbed her neck unconsciously, “I like him much, he's not like the others humans I've seen. He saw me even when I was hiding. He said I used the Force and made people forget I was there when I wanted it strong enough. But he saw me.” She looked at Leia, curious now, “You must be his sister! He didn't say his sister was Leia Hutt Slayer!”

Leia felt her cheeks heat under this open admiration. Derk turned to her sharply, apparently surprised, “So you're female then?”

“Well, uhm, yes.” Leia answered, taken aback by the question.

He looked at her strangely before shrugging, “I can never tell with humans.”

Leia looked at them all still shaken by what she had learned, “Is that... Why did you go into the swamps?”

“He felt something,” Dirk said, “Someone strong in the Force but he wasn't sure. He hadn't felt something like that before. He didn't ask us to come but we went anyway. He insisted that Kaky stayed because she was too young.”

The rodian nodded but she looked displeased. Derk went on, “We ended up in one of the evocii wild camps those who resist the Hutt's domination of their world.”

It was something easily forgotten but Hutta was the second homeworld of the Hutts. A world taken by force from the evocii who were considered as little more than animals. Whatever name the planet had before, it was long forgotten as the Hutts started polluting another ecosystem.

“That's where we found her, the evocii girl. She is strong, I could feel her power before I saw her. Her people were wary of us, tried to kill us but Tak'zaz appeased them. Then we started helping, driving off the slaves hunters and Gims'zo's men. But then the hunter came.”

“What hunter?” Leia asked. Derk sat on the moth-eaten chair by the window before resuming his tale.

“A human. Don't know his name. He's rich, a working associate of Gims'zo the Hutt. He hunted.” Derk looked Leia in the eyes, “Not for slaves you see, for sport.”

“Sport?” Leia repeated, fearing the answer.

Derk nodded, “Apparently he goes to Hutta for his personal vacation 'hunting holidays' he called them. He takes his bodyguards into the swamps and hunts the evocii, so he can bring back trophies to his home.”

Leia closed her eyes as she felt bile rise in her throat, a reaction she believed Luke had shared when he discovered this. Considering hunting as a leisure was already bad enough but to hunt people...!

“The human sometime captured one alive so he could show them off to his friends. Then he release them, gives them five minutes head-start before starting a chase with his companions.” He turned his eye to Taleen who was shifting in her sleep, “He came for his hunt and the girl... Tak'zaz had been teaching her the Force. She felt empowered. She tried to fight them as they attacked her family. They were at least twenty of them, all armed. The hunter found her amusing, said she was a 'territorial whelp'. He took her back to Gims'zo's old palace, that's where he stays,” Derk shook his head, “Tak'zaz felt guilty, he believed it was his fault.” Of course he did Leia thought. He suffered many delusions but he still thought he could fix the galaxy. There was a part of him that never stopped believing, “He wanted to go alone. We didn't let him. We thought we could do it, that there only was the hunter and his men. But Gims'zo's thugs were here as well. We were overpowered but Tak'zaz and Anuli made sure Taleen and I would escape. As aliens we would just have been killed” His eye rested on Leia's once again, “They took his hand, the metal one. To sell the parts, they're valuable.”

Leia felt anger rise inside her fuelled by her previous disgust. She would get Luke back and whoever did this would pay. She thought with a sadistic satisfaction that this man had yet to face an angry corellian and his protective wookie friend. He would not make it out alive that was for sure.

“You know,” Derk said suddenly after a long silence, “I thought him a fool at first., that he had no place here. He came to me, he talked about my abilities and the Force. A complete cretin I believed, looking for honey in the mud. I send him away. He didn't fear like the others, said I could always come back to him if I changed my mind.”

Leia listened, discovering Luke through the eye of someone else was a strange experience.

“You probably know I was one of Booba's best killer.” She nodded wordlessly, “I was born in his slave pen. We were only given scraps to feed ourselves, so I fought with other to get food, killed them so they wouldn't take it. I was a child but my species is a resistant one, we have a high regenerative capacity, and Booba thought I was quite amusing so he got me out of the slave pen to kill for him. In exchange I got fed. I never had a choice so it was very strange when Tak'zaz offered me one.” Derk looked down at his three-fingered hand, “What I have learned of life is that I was good at killing. The Force guided me and I found people's weaknesses easily. But him... He made me do other things, he helped me use the Force and I helped others. It was strange to watch him: he is soft but he is strong too; he is kind but he knows anger. And he listened. I always thought my life had as much value as dirt.” He looked at Leia, his single eye betraying no emotion, “But he took dirt and he turn it into gold. So I called him Tak'zaz. It means 'little god'.”

Night had fallen completely now, shouts and blaster shots could be heard, as if this place knew no rest from violence.

“I know he said anger should not be followed, but those men, I want to take their heads.”

Leia nodded, on that they agreed.

*

It was a bit hard finding him but she just followed her feeling and there he was, idly taking care of his blasters. She sat next to him looking at the sky. The pollution was so great she could not see a single star. She remembered the clear skies of Alderaan where night birds flew, making a soft melodious sound. She closed her eyes, willing away the tears and turned his gaze at him. He wasn't even pretending now, just turning the gun in his hands, looking at nothing in particular. She frowned. He looked thinner and now that she though about it, she realised he hadn't eaten anything all day. She hadn't seen him in person for three months and she wondered if he fed himself correctly. She rummaged through her pockets and found one of the ration bar she kept for days of endless work and handed it him. He shook his head.

“S'okay, I'm fine.”

He wasn't. But Leia wasn't letting this go. He may be stubborn but she was worst.

“You will eat this before I humiliate both you and myself by force-feeding it to you.”

Han looked at her, his eyes challenging and for a second she actually thought she would have to do it. However he spared them both and took the ration bar, grumbling his disapproval. After the first bite he made a face.

“Hate this stuff.”

“It's meant to keep you fed, not happy.”

He mumbled another grumpy comment before resuming his eating and she watched him silently.

She couldn't pinpoint the moment love had faded into tender affection between them but she remembered one afternoon a year ago where they were arguing playfully because he liked pushing her buttons and what they were arguing about she couldn't remember but it ended with Han laughing and her hitting him with a pillow and she thought he was such a great friend to have. That's also when they realised they hadn't kissed in whole week neither did she know when they had last made love and she realised she was fine with that. And Han looked fine too. She tried to kiss him goodnight that day and it felt... strange. Not bad, just... unneeded. It was like kissing a friend; funny with a vague embarrassment. She knew he felt it too but didn't say a word. Neither did she but she started thinking on her relationship. Technically they didn't have to go their separate ways. They were content living together. They could build a life, a family... They respected and loved each other even if it wasn't that kind of love. Not everyone could say the same thing of their own relationship, and why would she complain? Han was handsome, a good man, a friend, they fought together, shared sorrow and joy. She felt like a silly little girl wanting to find true love. She remembered her mother, looking at her father, her eyes dreamy and a soft smile on her lips. The subtle touches, the little nothings, just a hand lingering here and there. There was nothing like that between her and Han. She knew Han would not leave, not if she didn't want him to. He would stay if she asked because despite his callous way he cared and would avoid hurting her if he could. After all he was content as well. Just not in love.

She forgot to close window one night, wind came in and the cold awakened her. As she rose to close it, she realised Han wasn't in bed. She looked, curious and a little worried. She found him outside, just standing. He looked so lost there without even a shirt on. Maybe the Force let her feel what he felt in that moment, this sentiment of something missing that inhabited him, what she know for sure is that there was a lump in her throat and the urge to cry in her eyes. She hugged him and he asked what was wrong and she let out a laugh that sounded like a sob because he cared and so did she and if he felt this kind of ache she could not soothe, she would not have him stay just to make her feel safe.

They had parted after that (she did not like the term 'breaking up' for nothing had broken between) and while she missed his comments as well as his humour, she felt no heartache over their separation. Luke was actually the one who was more upset.

“ _But I thought you two...”_

_She waved his words away “It's not like anything as changed, we stopped being lovers long before now.”_

_Luke looked away, his gaze troubled though his face betrayed nothing. She felt a bit sad, remembering a time when his emotions were displayed for all to see. They were hidden now, a veil of serenity covering them and though it was probably part of growing up she wished she could bring back some of his insouciance. But at least she could bring reinsurance._

“ _Luke, just because Han and I aren't together anymore does not mean he will suddenly disappear!” She made this comment lightly, like a joke but she caught a flash of fear in his eyes, gone the moment it went, and for a moment she believed that's what he dreaded._

It was true that Han had never settled anywhere and he never wanted to be part of the rebellion in the first place but despite his big talks, he always came back if Luke needed him. Surely Luke realised that? He had smiled at her words, asked if she was well before changing the subject to the advancement of the new Republic. Six months later he left for his mission on Hutta.

And here they were now. On Hutta.

Leia had not expected Han to take well the informations she gathered when speaking to Derk, she had felt distraught and not a little worried herself. But the rage in his eyes and voice... It teleported her back into the cells of Cloud City, where Han, half-paralysed by nerve torture had risen to hit Lando, his anger alone keeping standing as they realised they were a trap for Luke. He wanted to rush in right away, not even waiting for sunlight. It had taken both her and Chewbacca to keep him reasonable. Even now she knew he was only waiting for dawn.

“We'll get him back,” She said softly, “He's alive, I can feel it.”

Han snorted, “Lucky you.”

She grabbed his hand, holding it tight. It was so cold. She closed her eyes, levelled her breath, calming her thoughts.

 _It's almost like trying to fall asleep_ , Luke had told her when she asked about his meditations. She had tried hiding from the Force, just like she hid in Han's comforting love. But she had faced the change in her relationship and she could face the Force as well. She wanted to share this feeling with him, this quiet certainty that her brother lived. She didn't think she could do it, after all, Han wasn't Force-sensitive but after long minutes she heard a gasp next to her and she turned. Han was looking at her, his eyes wide.

“Is that... What's that?”

She shrugged “I'm not sure myself. It's a feeling. He's alive.” Han looked at their joined hands “You're sure?” Leia put her head on his shoulder and settled against him, “I feel it.”

Together, they waited for dawn.

*

 _You'll bring sir Skywalker back right? And Anuli too! Anuli's nice..._ Kaky had told Leia softly as she got ready to leave. They had been given water resistant cloth, as well as breathing masks and Natah hadn't even asked for permission before injecting them a cocktail of vaccine and antibiotic.

“No one knows how many toxic products there are in those swamps and trust me no one wants to.” He had said “If you cut yourself cover it and don't let anything get into it, you'd catch an infection in seconds.” He had given a few bottles of pills to Chewbaca saying wookies had a higher resistance but tended to develop allergies. They were also given speeders and a warning, “Watch out for the bog people, crazy bastard the lot of 'em! Such arseholes even the Hutts threw them out and toxic fumes did nothin' to help their head! They'd kill anythin' for loot.”

Taleen had come to see them off, predicting a tragic end to their expedition, to that Natah told her to shut up and go back to rest.

And here they were now following the coordinates that would lead them to Gims'zo the Hutt's palace. They did meet bog people they had to fight off but Chewbacca scared them with a terrifying roar that managed to make even Leia jump. The fauna of Hutta was also a terrifying sight. The animals that survived the pollution had been mutated beyond recognition and looked like creatures out of nightmares. Yet Leia admired that anything could survive here still.

“We're getting closer to the palace,” Han said, looking at the datapad they had been given, “We should probably get off the speeders if we don't want to be spotted.”

The moment they touched the ground, Leia found herself knee-deep in trash and dead plants. Thankfully the boots she was given were tigh-high. Something let out a foul smell when she stepped on it. She most definitely did not want to know.

They moved forward until they could see the tall dirty walls of the Hutt's palace. They crouched behind an impressive pile of metal scraps, Chewbacca stayed some meters away as his bulk was more easily spotted and he could catch up with them quickly. The place was eerily silent which put Leia on edge. She remembered Jabba's den, loud and busy, this place was nothing like it. But after all the Hutt who used to inhabit the place had ran and it was his human associate living here now. Yet Leia couldn't shake off the feeling that something wasn't quite as it should be.

“You're not gonna like that,” Han said his voice low, “But the safest path is to go through the pipes where they get rid of their chemicals.”

Indeed, Leia cringed but she nodded, “Are you sure it'll be safe leave this way, If they're injured...”

“Look, we'll answer those question when they're unavoidable.”

Translation, _I planned to make it up as I go_. Leia shook her head; it was always the same thing with him.

Something passed in the corner of her eye. She turned and it was gone.

Han was already moving probably intending to go around the building to reach the chemical pipes and she followed but she couldn't help the certainty of being watched. They left the front door behind them and eventually arrived on the Hutt's personal dumping ground. Giant rat-like animal scurried around but showed no aggressivity. Leia looked around trying to find something to justify her agitation. She noticed a camera surveillance and was ready to warn Han but she realised the device was broken. Now that she looked at it closer, all camera surveillance had been destroyed. She grabbed Han's arm, but he stopped suddenly.

“Leia, look at that.”

He had stopped in front of something that looked like another pile of trash surrounded by an impressive number of rodents, but upon closer inspection...

It was a body. Han gave a sign and soon she could see Chewbacca coming to join them. He crouched next to the body and slowly turned it around. Leia put a hand in front of her mouth as a worm eaten human face appeared and her stomach lurched, wanting to empty itself. The man was burly and his death seemed relatively recent. Han inspected the body quickly, wrist covering part of his face as he tried to ward off the smell before standing up.

“His cloths are good quality, that guy wasn't from the bog people or on the run from something, he looks more like a bodyguard.”

“Something isn't right Han, I feel like we're being watched.”

Chewbaca nodded and growled, agreeing with her, his nose quivering as he tried to catch a smell in the wind.

“I know, but we still have to get in-”

“Don't move humans!”

In less than ten seconds, the dumping ground was suddenly surrounded by ten humanoids, all armed with blaster riffles. The top of their head was bald and they had hair only on the sides of their skull, their features unappealing by humans standards. They had appeared out of nowhere morphing into their surrounding. Leia could already hear the beginning of Chewbacca's growl as he prepared to attack but these were not crazed bog people.

“We'll have to take the wookie down first!”

“Just you try it and you'll have a blaster shot between the eyes!” Han cut in getting out his own weapon.

Leia's mind was going over potential solutions at light speed but none came. There was no place to hide and one could only dodge blaster shots for so long.

“We could let them go.” One offered, hesitant.

“And risk them telling what they saw? We can't afford that!”

The woman adjusted her blaster “Sorry humans but I've got a kid to protect.”

Leia was ready to argument, to prove they didn't want to hurt anyone but she was interrupted.

“Mama! Mama don't!”

The child looked out of breath as she had run all the way here. She threw herself on her mother's waist and despite her predicament Leia couldn't help but be horrified by her appearance. The child was thin, morbidly so with nothing but skin and bones, her wrist looking like they could be broken by single sharp move. It was at this moment that she realised they were evocii.

“Katsiaryna you should be inside, get back!” But the girl shook her head fervently.

“No you can't mama, he knows them, he felt them coming!”

The woman hesitated, looking at her daughter then at the humans, “Is he sure?”

The girl let go of her mother and trotted toward Leia wringing her bonny fingers.

“He said you may have half the stone with you. The shiny one”

Leia was confused for a moment but then reached to her breast pocket.

“ _I'm not trying to force you into anything but I just_ _thought_ _you should have it” he had told her “I had to build a new lightsaber after I... lost the other one and the focus stone broke in two. It felt right to give you the other half”_ She kept it as a token, a memento.

The girl grinned when she saw the green focus stone in the centre of Leia's hand.

“See mama? It's okay, Luke knows them!”

*

If possible, Han was even jumpier than before throwing searching looks all around him as if he expected Luke to be hidden somewhere. His name made all the evocii lower their blasters and after grudging explanation they were taken into the palace. The whole evocii camp was still settling in and many people passed them with wary look but kept going about their business. The mother, whose name was Darya led them with Katsiaryna through the corridors as her daughter babbled away.

“He can't really walk yet but it's getting better, Anuli even said so! It was hard killing all the bad men to get inside but mama made it! Her and all the others! They saved us!” Her eyes were ochre and sparkling with excitement. As they reached the top of the top of the stairs, they saw the first human of the camp.

“Anuli!” the girl exclaimed, running toward the woman. She had dark brown skin and eyes shining like obsidian stones. Her left arm and right leg were wrapped in bandages and her walk was wobbly. Half her skull was shaved and the other half was covered with braided hair. A dark blue tattoo covered her right arm, disappearing beneath her shirt.

“Well, well midget ya saved the day didn't ya!”

Katsiaryna hugged her and the woman let her eyes rise to the newcomers.

“Guess I'm meettin' ya all 'stead o' hearin' Lucky's stories!”

Introductions were made and while Leia got no bad feeling from the woman, she saw Han eyeing her warily as if he were measuring how much of a threat she could be.

“So” Leia to avoid silence from settling “You are-”

“Anuli Tarkan!” she interrupted “You can go back to the others Darya, I'll take them to him”

The evocii nodded and took her daughter's hand who waved as she left.

“Will you tell us what happened now?” Han asked grumpily.

Anuli laughed as she resumed walking, “What _didn't_ happen? Ya probably already know how we got there. Well the guys here were complete bastards that's what! Got a nasty blaster shot in the leg from one o' 'em, and there was this gammorean who twisted my arm in a weird angle.” She made a face probably remembering the moment, “Once Taleen and Derk were gone we didn't held out long though we didn't go down easily. This Refka, that's the name o' the psycho who hunted the evocii, he put the shock collar on us. Tried to prep' us up for the slave market that son o' a Hutt; well me anyway, he was suspicious o' Luke 'cause o' his fancy sword, kept him apart I think he made some researches, not sure though.”

Once again Leia felt her anger rise but also her fear as she imagined what could have happened.

“Is he dead?” she heard Han ask. His voice was steely and his eyes hard. Even without the Force she could have felt his anger. Anuli smiled.

“Yeah, don't ya worry corellian, dead and probably eaten by some rabid ak dog. I have to admit we didn't expect for one second the evocii comin' in force to attack the place. Neither did our dear captors. They had forgotten 'bout poor little Ryna after they captured us so she was fine. She actually managed to knock down some guard with this Force-thing! They freed me alright but Luke was with Refka. When the place started to be overpowered that arsehole used the shock-collar command, mine was so old and crappy that the whole system fried with the power he tried to send but Luke's malfunctioned; the thing went crazy and shut down his nervous system from the waist-down with electric shocks, he wasn't even conscious when the evocii found him. But it's not permanent paralysis he's getting' better by the day. Also tried to walk when he wasn't supposed to.”

They finally reached the end of their journey and Anuli opened the door without knocking.

“Hey Lucky, I've got your pals there!”

It felt like an eternity since Leia had last seen him. He had bruises on his temple and shadows under his eyes that made him look too young to be doing any of this and Leia felt the need to order him to bed so he could sleep them away. He always did too much, never rested enough. He was sited by the window, taping his nail nervously on the glass. He turned and suddenly his whole face seem to come alive. He rose, made one wobbly step toward them and sounded genuily surprised when he spoke.

“Han...?”

His legs gave out under him.

Leia let out a shout, not wanting him to hit the ground but she needn't fear as a pair of strong arms grabbed before he was halfway there.

“Damn it kid, I though you were supposed to sit!”

Han kept him upright against his chest trying to look angry but only succeeding in looking concerned. Luke looked flushed for a moment before his face regained composure.

“Yes, I just thought I could manage standing up.”

Han made them both sat on the bed, keeping his arm around Luke's waist.

“Well no, so now you stay put or I'll have Chewie sit on you!”

The wookie growled his approval as he entered, bowing his head as to not hit the door frame. Anuli was on the side, several feet from where she was standing moments ago, rubbing her ribs with something between a wince and a smile.

“Nice catch corellian, just don't ram into me next time and it'll be perfect!”

Han didn't answer and shrugged, clearly making no promises. Leia smiled and sat on Luke's left.

“You know, I should be mad, you had us quite worried”

“Sorry, things didn't exactly go as planned” Luke apologised with a small smile.

Anuli snorted “No shite!”

“I don't mind a re-telling kid, so tell us what crazy idea you had this time.”

And the whole story began again, from his lips this time.

Han's arm stayed around Luke's waist.

*

The whole day passed peacefully after that. The evocii were welcoming once their suspicion abated and they seemed fond of Luke which wasn't surprising Leia thought. Katsiaryna was the one who lead him to their camp or more accurately it was her Force signature. He hadn't expected to meet other Force-sensitive but was pleasantly surprised. They had helped the evocii against slavers and taught the young girl to use the Force more easily. And then Refka had come for his hunting trip. Leia had felt his shudder when he spoke of it as well as Han's grip tightening.

They managed to contact Natah back in Jiguuna. The transmission was terrible but the message announcing Luke's and Anuli's safety was received. The night fell slowly and the evocii invited them to join their meal.

“Luke! Luke!” Katsiaryna exclaimed as she ran toward their table, “Look, I can do it on my own now!” She extended her skinny hand and Luke’s cup started to levitate until it was one metre above their heads “See?”

“It's great Ryna, you're much faster learner than I was.” He smiled patting her half bald head. Leia herself was quite impressed as it was one thing to hear about the Force but it was another to see it in action. Katsiaryna shook her head, giggling, “No Luke _you're_ the best! I'm gonna show mama, she'll love this!” In seconds she was gone.

“That girl's such a sweet!” Anuli said with a smile, “Well corellian, I think it's the second plate you've emptied! It looks like you've more appetite than your wookie friend!”

It was true that Han was finally eating correctly without Leia having to nag him. He was happy to pretend that nothing had changed.

“If you don't mind then I'll have get more, feels like I haven't had anything in days.”

 _Well you didn't_ Leia wanted to point out but stopped herself.

“I'll go with ya, need to fill my belly as well!” Anuli said and grabbed his arm to haul herself up. He had warmed up to her once it became clear that there was nothing between Luke and her, except her complimenting his bottom and trying to embarrass him.

Luke watched them, smiling fondly.

“I'm glad you came,” he said softly, “I wasn't sure of what Kaky would do or if she could even reach you, things are such a mess in the city but I'm glad you're here.”

Leia smiled, “So am I. Did you think Han wouldn't be here?” She asked, remembering his surprised when he saw the man.

“I thought I felt him with you but the medicine I had taken made my head fuzzy, I thought I had imagined him again.” The last word was a whisper, almost unheard. Slowly but surely, Leia felt as though some veil was lifting letting her see something she always knew but didn't understand.

Force she could be blind.

It had been obvious to her that Han would come. He always did. Always for Luke. Because Han Solo could run from everything except Luke Skywalker.

She was about to say something but was interrupted by Han and Anuli's voices as they returned. Anuli was holding his left hand looking at it as if she was reading a datapad.

“Why would you try to see my future?” Leia heard him ask, disbelieving.

“I don't 'read' future, I get a feeling of the Luck! Well, Force Luke would say”

They sat as they argued, “Just tell him Lucky! Ya know what my ma an' I do!”

Luke smiled, “You know most people consider that clairvoyants are scams”

Anuli tssked him, “It's soothsayer Lucky! Plus what me and my ma tell people usually happen! Ma always said it was the Luck guiding us. _Maybe_ we did try to swindle every last credit out o' people but we didn't tell 'em no shite!”

Luke laughed, “You do have a gift for prescience though you can control it unlike me. Ben said it was the case for some Jedi.”

Han still looked unconvinced, “So what, you use your Force-thing to read future out of people's hand?”

“For the last time, I don't 'read'! The whole hand lines thingy's just to look mysterious and shite, the hand just helps focusing on the person.”

She frowned, gathering her focus on Han. For one moment it seemed she had found something but then her eyes went wide.

“Well shite, that's a new one!”

“What,” Leia asked amused by the little show.

Anuli looked at her, “One moment there was some tragic death, pain, red and falling but the next it was gone. Washed away. There was... warmth, I think? Kiddies laughin' and blue waters. Or eyes. Maybe both, don't know.”

“Sorry if my lack of tragic death is such a lost to you.”

Anuli hit him with her bad arm and winced, “Don't be stupid corellian! It was just weird, one moment I felt like crying, the next like laughing.” She turned to Luke, “What did the little green guy used to tell ya again?”

“Always in motion the future is.” Luke quoted with a smile.

“That's the one! He would have been great in the business with a sentence like that! I'll have to use it for my next clients!”

“Now that you want to laugh can I get my hand back? I'd like to eat.”

Anuli stuck her tongue out at him but let his hand go. She chased away the bright yellow butterfly that had landed on her food while she was otherwise engaged and they all resumed eating. It flew into the night, tiny wing flapping silently.

*

“He has a really nice butt that brother of yours.”

Leia nearly spit out the water she was swallowing.

“Well What? S'true ya know! Ya do too if you're worried about that!” Leia was whipping the sides of her mouth where the water had flowed as Anuli kept talking, “Tried to hit on him but I just managed to make him blush. I wasn't sure but now I know he was moonin' o'er someone.” Her speech was becoming more slurred as her eyes slowly closed. She looked exhausted.

“You should be in bed.”

“Ya prob'bly right,” She yawned and rose slowly with Leia's help, “They look real cute together...” She mumbled as she left.

And Leia had to agree.

They must have been sitting there for an hour now. She didn't know when they had stopped talking but Luke's head had fallen on Han's shoulder, and Han's on the top of his. They were sleeping soundly despite the groups people still talking, their fingers loosely tangled together. She remembered living with Han, how he had troubles sleeping, she remembered her parents touching each other's hand obliviously as if it was as natural as breathing and she realised she knew what love looked like. She thought she knew about lovers but she only knew about the fights. She smiled, quietly happy. She wasn't too old to learn new things.

She saw Chewbacca coming toward her. He had finally managed to escape the evocii children who were all fascinated by his abundant mass of fur. They had spent most of the evening petting him and climbing over him.

He made a short comment pointing the sleeping men and Leia nodded.

“Yes they should get into a bed, I'll go wake them.”

She went to softly shake Han's shoulder. After a few seconds he blinked and looked around him as if he wondered where he was.

“What's it...?”

“You fell asleep, both of you. The palace has more than enough room and the evocii left us a quarter. Luke should get to his bed as well.”

He nodded, his eyes still sleepy but as she was about to wake Luke he stopped her.

“Don't. I'll carry him.”

As he stood, Luke mumbled something.

“Shh, 's okay kid, go back to sleep.” He put an arm under his legs and settled his head on his collarbone and Luke nuzzled into his neck before falling into deep slumber once more.

Leia moved some of his hair that had fallen into his eyes and put it behind his ear.

“You remember the way?”

He nodded and gave her quick peck on the forehead, “G'night.” She smiled, “Sleep tight.” She answered. She went back to Chewbacca and watched them go.

“They're in love.” She said softly and it sounded strangely right, spoken aloud, “It took me so long to see, I'm not sure even they know.”

The wookie simply grunted his approval and Leia frowned. She turned and observed him. He looked as moved as if she had stated the weather.

“You knew!” She exclaimed, her tone accusatory and Chewbacca nodded.

[ _Wookies mate for life, we know these things_ ]

“But you never said anything!”

[ _It wasn't my place, Han must know his own heart and so must the cub. And humans rarely appreciate meddling in their emotional affairs_ ]

Well, that was true. Involving oneself in other people's relationship usually resulted in a mess. But still. Now she couldn't help but want to make sure they would act on their feelings. Chewbacca patted her shoulder.

[ _Don't worry, males are always slower than females for these things, they'll come around_ ]

She let out a small laugh. Perhaps he was right and things would work themselves out. She was just going to make sure they would.

“Good night Chewie.”

He growled softly in response and left for his own bed. She was going to turn in soon as well. She went to the balcony which door had been broken during the fight. Hutta wasn't a better sight during the night but you could see less of it. She dug into her pocket and grabbed her focus stone. It glowed softly in the dark. She hadn't wanted the Force, she hadn't wanted anything in common with... him. Her father. The words tasted sour even in her mind. Her father was Bail Organa. He was in every way that mattered. No father of hers could have impassively stood by as her home was reduced to ashes. Luke had forgiven him but unlike her he had always craved a father. More importantly he had more kindness in his heart than she could find in hers. He wanted to call him Anakin, not Vader and for his sake she did. But to her Anakin and Vader were one and the same. Believing otherwise would be letting him off too easy. If there ever was any good in Anakin Skywalker then he would own his mistakes not shove them behind another name.

All of sudden she didn't feel alone anymore. And something told her it was not one of the evocii.

It was a man, his whole frame surrounded by an aura of blue light, a scar adorned his right eye. He looked quite beautiful. His hair was dark blond and his eyes clear pools of blue. Luke had told of some people long dead appearing through the Force but she wondered what this ghost wanted with her. He looked repentant but did not seem to ask forgiveness and Leia felt as though there was none to give him. He rose his left hand, brushing her cheek and she felt a soft tingling. His hand fell down, pointing at the focus stone in her hand. She saw him mouth words.

_Don't give up_

He smiled, sad. He was fading.

_You're strong_

He looked at her again as if drinking in her features then he was gone and it was if she could feel his absence.

The focus stone pulsed softly in her hand following the beat of her own heart. She closed her hand around it.

Perhaps she would ask Luke more about lightsabers.

 

* * *

 

 

_“And then her heart changed, or at least she understood it; and the winter passed, and the sun shone upon her.”_

J.R.R. Tolkien

 

**Author's Note:**

> So uhm how bad was it?


End file.
